Stuffed Peppers
Yield: 6 servings
Cook Time: About 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Tips: Any color of pepper may be used (green, red, yellow or orange). May be prepared in advance and refrigerated, then cooked the following day.
There are endless ways to stuff bell peppers, using almost any ingredients you can imagine. As well, any color of bell peppers can be used, whether it be green, red, yellow or orange. This easy Stuffed Peppers recipe features seasoned lean ground beef and rice combined with a tomato sauce made with sautéed diced onions, diced bell pepper and garlic, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce
and assorted seasonings that give this sauce fabulous full flavor. The sauce is used in the meat mixture as well as spooned over the top of each pepper before baking. Shredded cheddar cheese is also sprinkled over the tops of the peppers a few minutes before the peppers are done, just long enough to melt the cheese. When choosing your bell peppers, keep in mind that the traditional green bell peppers used with most stuffed pepper recipes have a little more of a bite to their flavor than do the other colors, which tend to taste a little sweeter. Any pepper you choose will work well with this recipe, so choose according toyour own personal taste. You'll also want to try to select peppers that stand up well on their own without falling over and have a wide shape (as opposed to a tall and narrow shape). As an added convenience, these stuffed peppers can be prepared in advance, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for a day or two until you're ready to bake them.
Ingredients
- 6 green bell peppers (red, yellow or orange bell peppers may also be used)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (such as long grain, basmati or brown)
- 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Turn peppers to their sides and cut off tops, cutting as close to the stem as possible. Using a spoon, remove seeds and membranes from peppers, then gently rinse with cold running water to completely clean out. Cut off any remaining edible pepper around removed stems and chop. Set aside.
Place peppers in a large pot. Cover peppers with water and sprinkle water with a few dashes of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove peppers with a slotted spoon, allowing any water in peppers to spill back into pot. Set peppers aside.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until butter melts. Add chopped pepper tops and onion then reduce heat to low-medium and sauté for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Stir to combine, then simmer for about 10 minutes, uncovered.
In a large mixing bowl, combine egg with remaining teaspoon of salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to combine, then add ground beef, cooked rice and 1 cup of the tomato mixture from skillet. Mix well to combine (mixing with hands works best). Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a casserole dish. Spoon remaining tomato mixture over tops of peppers.
Bake for 55-65 minutes, uncovered. About 5 minutes before peppers are done, top each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese and continue baking until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
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